Baxter fires warning as Roosters chase perfect season
George Clarke |
Corban Baxter has warned the Sydney Roosters haven’t even scratched the surface of their ability as they look to complete the perfect NRLW season and carve their names into the lore of the women’s competition.
Already crowned minor premiers after winning all 11 regular-season games, John Strange’s side beat Cronulla in last week’s semi-final to book a grand-final showdown with Brisbane at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
Strange on Tuesday named a rejigged team to face the Broncos with a cloud hanging over wrecking-ball forward Amber Hall, who is battling a calf injury picked up in the win over the Sharks.
With or without Hall, a grand-final victory would give the Roosters an unbeaten season, a feat that has become rarer since the NRLW began expanding in 2021.
In the competition’s maiden season in 2018 and again in 2020, Brisbane went through the regular season undefeated – finishing first in a four-team premiership before winning the grand final.
But no team has done it since the league’s growth to its current 12-team status – something five-eighth Baxter hopes to change.
“There’s definitely no tally on you know how many wins we’ve had or how perfect our season has been,” said Baxter, who missed last year’s grand final with a knee injury.
“I think because there’s been so many takeaways from each week we have yet to play at our best.
“I know that in most of our girls’ heads it hasn’t probably been the perfect season.
“From the outside it might look like that because we’re getting the wins, but we can be better.”
South Sydney (1925) remain the only team in rugby league to have had a perfect season of more than six games.
For the likes of captain Isabelle Kelly, who was part of the side which defeated Cronulla in last year’s grand final, there is a chance to claim back-to-back premierships.
Kelly said the rejuvenation of the Roosters squad in the last 12 months would ensure they remain at the top of the NRLW ladder and vying for silverware.
“It would be huge, we’ve worked really hard in the last few years to make sure that we’re playing really good footy,” Kelly said.
“To take it out in the grand final would be a massive thing for Strangey that he’s done for us.
“Having these girls come to our club and learn the Roosters way is such a great thing for success in many years to come.”
Strange named Hall as part of his extended bench on Tuesday, with Aliyah Nasio coming straight back into the back-row after serving a suspension.
Nasio’s return pushes Taina Naividi to the wing with Mia Wood moving to the bench.
AAP
